The funeral home at 302 E. Main St. was slated for demolition during a project to straighten the north leg of the M-52/Main Street four-corner intersection. It's part of a $7 million state Department of Transportation reconstruction and realignment project in the village.

But the funeral home is part of the village's proposed historic district, and the State Historic Preservation Office said in a letter to MDOT that removing the building would have an adverse effect on the potential Manchester Historic District.

The letter called the funeral home building "a contributing and highly visible building within the district whose loss would leave a large gap in the district."

That opinion led to a revised MDOT plan that would allow the building to stay where it is. The new alignment shifts the northern approach to the intersection to the east.

The work was scheduled to begin in 2009, but now will start in 2010, officials said.

MDOT plans to purchase the land from the owners of Borek Jennings Funeral Home Jenter Chapel, who will move the business elsewhere in the village. Village Manager Jeff Wallace said officials will work with MDOT to market the building to other potential buyers when the project is complete.

The work includes road reconstruction on M-52 between Austin Road and Dutch Drive. Other improvements include work on the water main, storm sewer, curb and gutter, sidewalk, bridge and bike lane.
In addition, a streetscape project is expected to take place on M-52 from Duncan Street to Chi-Bro Park and on Main Street from Elton Drive to M-52. It includes new brick pavers, decorative street lighting and new trees.

In conjunction with village MDOT project, an additional $8 million resurfacing project is planned. M-52 will be resurfaced from Dutch Drive north to I-94, and additional realignment of the road will take place near Peckins Road and Waldo Road.

Village President Pat Vailliencourt previously said the village would purchase a back lot on the funeral home property from MDOT and create a small park where the Jenter family would be honored by relocating the memorial rock and flagpole that currently sit on the funeral home land.

Last week, the Village Council discussed the MDOT proposal, "and agreed in principal to it," Wallace said, but did not take a vote.